Sully's Choice
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Cloud Dancing is about to be kicked off the reservation. Sully, Dorothy and Dr. Mike try to fight for him to stay, but there may only be one way to keep Cloud Dancing in Colorado Springs; for Sully to leave Colorado permanently. ACTUAL STORY!


**A/N: I'm sorry it has been so long for me to upload this. I have been busy with school more than I expected to be. All my stories will be uploaded sometime soon. My finals week for my college classes are in 2 weeks; so then I will have more time to finish and update more chapters for my FanFictions. But here we are; Sully's Choice! =)**

"Michaela!" Dorothy called out as she rushed through town and ran into the clinic to see Doctor Mike with a patient. Both Doctor Mike and the patient looked at her. "I'm sorry Michaela, I wasn't aware that anybody was here." Doctor Mike smiled her usual bright smile and laughed.

"You're fine Dorothy. We're done anyway." She looked down at the little boy she was taking care of. "I'm sure your Ma is still outside if you want to go see her. We're all done."

"That really didn't hurt!" He exclaimed as he hopped up. He hugged Doctor Mike and then walked out of the clinic. "Excuse me ma'am." He said trying to get past Dorothy. She moved so he could get through. Then she closed the door so she could talk with Doctor Mike privately. Doctor Mike sat on the edge of the desk.

"What's the matter Dorothy?" She asked.

"It's Cloud Dancing. They are going to kick him off the reservation. They are sending him somewhere and nobody knows where he's going. I tried to talk to them, but they wouldn't answer me." Dorothy replied. Doctor Mike gasped.

"Why are they making Cloud Dancing leave? I thought that he could still be in Colorado Springs. I thought we had an agreement that said he could even live in town." Doctor Mike replied crossing her arms while still holding her stethoscope. Dorothy sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know Michaela. I went out to see Cloud Dancing this morning and that's what he told me. Apparently he has known for a while but didn't want to upset you, Sully and me until it was absolutely necessary. I just don't know what we are going to do so that we can keep him here in Colorado Springs." Doctor Mike sat there quietly. Finally, she slowly started to speak.

"I don't know, but I bet Sully does." Doctor Mike stood up and walked to put down her stethoscope.

"Where is Sully?" Dorothy asked looking around. "Usually he's here with you." Doctor Mike smiled.

"He is somewhere around here. He's got Katie so I hope it's not something dangerous." She said and Dorothy smiled.

"Michaela, it's Sully. Everything he does is dangerous." Dorothy replied and Michaela nodded in agreement. Just then, Brian comes busting into the clinic.

"Brian? What's the matter?" Doctor Mike asked him.

"It's nothing Ma. We're just back from the creek. Pa's got Katie." Brian replied and then Doctor Mike could hear Katie crying. A cry that she knew could only belong to her little girl. And sure enough, Sully came into the clinic not long after Brian did carrying a red-faced crying Katie.

"Let me have her." Doctor Mike took Katie from Sully and started to look her over and check to see what was wrong. "What happened?"

"Nothing Ma, honest. We were just playing." Brian said. Dorothy started looking at her dress.

"Michaela, what happened to the back of her dress?" Dorothy asked. Doctor Mike turned her over to look at her dress.

"What is this?" Doctor Mike demanded looking between Brian and Sully. They were hesitant to answer her. "Well?" Brian looked down at the ground and scuffed his shoe on the floor.

"Well, she slipped into the creek, but I was already in the water so I caught her real quick." Brian replied.

"What?" She glared at Sully. "What was Katie doing close enough to the creek to be able to fall in?" Sully didn't answer her. "Well, we have more important things to do. Did you know that Cloud Dancing has to leave the reservation?" Sully turned to face Doctor Mike.

"What? No, that's not possible. He has clearance to be here. Why would they try to kick him off the reservation?" Sully asked. Dorothy sighed.

"I wish I knew. I just know that Cloud Dancing said they were making him leave." Dorothy replied. Sully looked between Michaela and Dorothy.

"I'll go talk to the new Indian agent and see if we can get this figured how. It has to be a mistake. Maybe it's somebody else that they were taking and Cloud Dancing said he'd go in his place. Whatever it is, I'll figure it out." Sully looked at Brian. "You be good for your Ma, and take care of your sister."

"Yes sir." Brian nodded and Sully walked out of the clinic.

[

"How can they make you leave? We gave you clearance to come into Colorado Springs whenever you want." Sully exclaimed and Cloud Dancing looked at him.

"I do not understand this myself, but we cannot fight it. I will go if it will keep the peace between my people and the soldiers." Cloud Dancing replied.

"I just don't understand how they can do this!" Sully exclaimed and then he looked at Cloud Dancing. "I can't believe you wouldn't tell me this."

"I didn't want you to worry about me. As long as I do not cause anger within the soldiers I won't be any trouble to them." Cloud Dancing stated. Sully just looked at him; not sure how to react to that.

"Where is the new Indian agent?" Sully asked. Cloud Dancing looked at him and they stopped walking.

"Sully, don't worry about this. I will be fine. But the Indian agent is supposed to come out today. There is some meeting between my people and the soldiers." Cloud Dancing responded. They continued to walk until the came to a group which Sully knew was that meeting. It sounded as though they were coming to a close. He stood there waiting until the soldiers walked away. He followed them.

"How can you take Cloud Dancing from the reservation? He has clearance to be here or in Colorado Springs." He stated. The soldier looked at him.

"I have my orders. All the Indians in this area are to be gone within the next year so that we can start building on this land. The government is selling it and the military plans to buy it and set up some things out here that I can't talk to you about civilian." The soldier hopped on his horse and rode away. Angrily, Sully walked towards the Indian agent.

"I want to talk to you about Cloud Dancing." Sully said. The man turned around and looked at him.

"What?" He asked. Sully crossed his arms. He was starting to get impatient.

"You are trying to kick Cloud Dancing off the reservation and he has clearance to be here." Sully replied.

"I know nothing of this." He stated. Sully almost grabbed him by the collar when Cloud Dancing came rushing over to him.

"Sully, the spirits don't want us to be violent." Cloud Dancing explained. Sully backed off and the agent sighed with some relief. Sully looked between the Indian agent and Cloud Dancing.

"Look, Cloud Dancing right here has clearance to be in Colorado Springs, so why are you taking him off the reservation?" Sully asked. The man wouldn't look at him.

"I don't think this is something that we are supposed to talk to civilians about."

"I'm not a civilian. I'm the former Indian agent." Sully exasperated. "Look, tell the soldiers that I'll do anything to keep Cloud Dancing on the reservation. Anything." Sully stated. Cloud Dancing looked at him.

"Sully, you don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm pretty sure I do." With that he started to walk away.

"Sully." Cloud Dancing called and walked over to him and touched his shoulder. "What happens if it came down to a you or me like when you were the Indian agent?" Sully looked at Cloud Dancing.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get you to be able to stay on this reservation. Michaela will understand. We are doing this so you and Dorothy can be together. We are already together and we can be together anywhere. If you get sent off and she can't find you, you won't be together." Sully replied and started to walk back towards the town.


End file.
